Sakurairo: The Color of a Cherry Blossom
by UnbreakableTrio
Summary: What if Itachi didn't kill just the Uchiha clan? What if he killed his first love, who is also Sakura's sister? The sisters' lives aren't that different; read and find out. Haruno's are meant to love Uchihas after all. SasuSaku, ItaXoc
1. Dear Sis

**_This is my first try at a multi- chapter fanfiction, so please bear with me!_**

**_I also have a Beta- Reader, who is also my long distance friend. She's SmartOotori. luv her!_**

**_Please give this a shot, and don't forget to RSVP: Review, S'il Vous Plait!_

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Sakurairo

Prologue

Sakura's POV:

Dear Sis,

Do you know what's sad?

Nobody remembering you, that's what! I'm sure they do, but those at the hospital don't talk about the healing prodigy known as Sayuri Haruno.

Thanks a bunch for passing your diary to me in your letters. You always told me to hold onto it when you leave our apartment. I'm pretty sure you knew you'd die with your secrets safe with me nee, onee-chan?

Our mentor, Tsunade-shishou, gave me a day off which gives me time to worry and wonder on your quiet grave. Worry about _him_, and wonder if you've ever been in a situation like me. I also wonder, since I was eight, why I had to witness your murder by your first love. It just had to be Itachi Uchiha himself.

Did you know that Itachi has a younger brother? Sasuke Uchiha is his name; emo-hot-jerk- prodigy-ninja is his game. Kuso. He was in my Genin team, too, alongside "The Future Hokage" Naruto Uzumaki, and Mr. Copy Ninja, Kakashi Hatake. Not only did we make up Team 7, we made a non- biological family. I always felt, though, a more- than- brotherly-love for the Uchiha.

He could be a really delicious vanilla surprise at Ayame's. He's popular, and his looks can't be beat, just like how vanilla ice cream is extraordinary in the simplest way. At the bottom of the bowl, however, there's always something really… odd in my dish. The latest one I ate had a chili pepper flavored Ramen at the bottom of the big, glass bowl. Turns out Naruto worked there and made my sundae.

It made me tear, just like _him_. He always knows how to hurt a girl in more ways than one. From calling me "annoying," to leaving me on a cold, stone bench after knocking me out. I could've been raped or something; I tried to stop him from leaving late at night, how foolish of me.

It's been nine years since my heart broke. And thirteen years since you left. God, I miss you so much, 'Yuri-Chan.

Love,

Sakura, age 21

PS: I hope you're having fun in… I don't even know where you ended up…

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**_Well, there you have it. I know it's really short, but diary entries are usually that long, right?_**

**_The next chapter is still a work in progress, and I have Mid- Terms coming up. Expect reeally slow updates; I still have a fictionpress work in progress, too. Come give a look some time!_**

**_Please review! Any comments will be helpful!_**

**_Lurve,_**

**_Sakura- Hime_**

**_ps: Sakura's trying to remember who her Syaoran is. Get the message? X)_**


	2. Nice to Meet You I Guess

**_I'm back with my shortest wait ever! I forgot to ask SmartOotori to update it, but she edited it one way or another. Luvvertodeth! Please review!_

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Sakurairo: First Day of School

The first thing I see when I opened the journal- after undoing the protective jutsus- was a picture of my sister's Academy class. Her pink shoulder length hair was tied in a lop sided half ponytail. Everyone, including her, was smiling.

The boy next to Sayuri was the only one not showing any teeth- or happiness for that matter. His ebony hair was too short to be in the ponytail he's known for, and the scars on his face weren't there at that time. It was Itachi.

_**Dear Diary,**_

_**Uhh, hi! My name is Sayuri. I am five years old. Mommy gave this to me today because it is my first day at the Academy. It was scary, and I felt a little lonely- until I met him.**_

_**I met this boy who is what the big kids call "emo." He says he could do Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu. He's the only friend I have so far who is my age. Everyone else was about a year older than me and emo- kid, whose name is Itachi.**_

_**We talked about ANBU and our clans. Itachi-kun showed me the Fireball Jutsu- and burned the tree with the tire swing. I loved that tree! We raced up an oak tree- and I won without putting all of my chakra to my feet. We sparred, we talked, and we laughed at the Genin team who had to chase that rabid, tabby cat. I can't wait to finish the Academy! I want to be the best kunoichi ever!**_

_**Today is totally my day!**_

_**Love,**_

_**Sayuri Haruno, age 5**_

Why was _I _the only one with the big forehead? Sayuri bloomed and became popular among the Academy; I, on the other hand, was always picked on. Even _he_ teased me constantly, and it was NOT because I fangirled him… yet.

_**14 Years Ago…:**_

"_**Ne, onee-chan," a short, five year old girl with a purple vest and pink pants asked the young lady holding her hand, "is the Academy a lot of fun?"**_

"_**Un," answered the thirteen year old, "You meet a lot of new friends there, and you learn new techniques and jutsus."**_

"_**How old do you have to become ANBU, Sayuri-Chan?"**_

"_**Etou… typically, you become an ANBU after taking the genin, chuunin, jounin, and ANBU exams. A regular shinobi usually makes jounin or ANBU in their twenties, 'Kura-Chan," the rosette answered.**_

_**The rest of the walk was silent… until a certain building in the center of Konoha was in sight. The younger girl's eyes beamed at the grand building called… school.**_

"_**Yatta!" screamed the ecstatic five year old whose name is Sakura Haruno, "We're here!"**_

"_**Welcome to the Academy, Sis," greeted Sayuri Haruno, the eldest and only sibling she has.**_

_**After the ceremony ended Sakura sat in an assigned seat in the front row. Based on a survey taken during summer vacation, the favorites and the smart kids are assigned closer to the front, while the dunces occupy the back row. Not bad for Sakura on her first day.**_

_**(Sakura's POV):**_

_**To my right is a boy with a short, brown ponytail; it reminds me of a pineapple top. I'll call him PH, or Pineapple Head for short (1), until I learn his name. He slept through the whole class; I wonder why Iruka- sensei didn't punish him.**_

_**The boy has a reserved and cold air around him, but he is so cute! He had pale skin that made his ebony eyes and hair look darker- like a duck butt- shaped smore…**_

_**He also wore a black shirt with a red and white fan sewn on the back, an Uchiha. Is he related to Sayuri- Chan's teammate?**_

_**Out of boredom and curiosity, I tried to talk to him, "Hi! My name is Sakura Haruno. What's yours?"**_

"… _**Sasuke Uchiha."**_

"_**It's very nice to meet you, Uchiha- san."**_

"_**Same, I guess."**_

"_**Wah! You're a meanie! A really cute meanie, but a meanie none the less!"**_

"_**And you're annoying! A really cute nuisance, but a nuisance just the same," the Uchiha smirked.**_

_**I guessed he didn't mean it- he's only teasing me after all, and I smiled.**_

"_**Ne, Uchiha-san--"**_

"_**Sasuke, please," his smile was huge when he said that. Am I really his first friend?**_

"_**Okay, Sasuke- san, how's your family?"**_

_**His smile dimmed just a bit.**_

" _**I don't want to think aobut it. My mom's really beautiful, she and onii-chan are the only two people who seem to care about me. Otou-san doesn't seem to care about me, though. He's always saying 'That's my boy,' to Itachi, and never me," he answered.**_

"_**It's ok, Sasuke-san. Itachi-san has a BIG responsibility, and your daddy just wants him prepared. Hold on a second; does your brother know a Sayuri Haruno?"**_

"_**I think so. She's the team medic, right?"**_

"_**Yeah! She is my onee-chan! We'll be seeing each other more often!"**_

_**He smiled, and I smiled. **_

_**The late bell rang. School's in session. **_

Every day we used to talk before Iruka- sensei came in with a blond boy with a huge mouth. We stopped those long and amusing chats around the age of nine. We started talking less and less until it was nothing at all. I found out what had caused him to stop years after.

When I get him back alongside Naruto, I want to see him smile for me, like he did sixteen long and painful years ago.

Sixteen years of loving him, and it's not dimming yet.

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**_Yay! The first real chapter is finished!: _**

**_I put disclaimers at the end, so Jiraiya, take it away!_**

**_J: I like big butts and I can not lie. You other brothers can't deny!_**

**_Me: ... get out... Before Tsunade hits (on) you!_**

**_BAM! _**

**_Tsunade: Sakura-Hime does NOT own the Naruto characters, only Sayuri. The rest belong to VIZ, and Masashi Kishimoto. _**

**_J: ...And when a girl walks in with an itty-bitty waist and a round big in your face---BAM!_**

**_T: When Sasuke dumps you in Gaara's little hole of pain again, I will NOT save your butt this time. _**

**_Me: I hope Sasuke Chidoris your ass(terisk)... Review!_**


	3. Team Keigo

**Guess who's back? Sorry for the wait! You can kill me in your reviews, or throw tomatoes at me (though Sasuke won't be happy).**

**Standard disclaimer applies.**

**THIS TIME, ACTUALLY REVIEW! I need a minimum of three per chapter. I don't mind the favorites and alerts, AS LONG AS THOSE AUTHORS REVIEW! **

**or you're gonna have to wait another three months...hehehe...**

_-_

_Dear Diary,_

_It's me again! After a short (long) hiatus, I'm back and officially a genin. It's weird, that a ten year old is a genin; that's why Itachi's the only genin who's close to being my age- ten. Yup, that's right, JYUU! _

_Because Itachi and I kick butt younger than everyone else who graduated, and we work well together, we were naturally put on a team together. But finding what team we were on was more of a hassle than we thought… _

_More on that later, I have to take care of Saki- Chan because she's crying from her nap!_

_Love,_

_Sayuri_

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"_What team are we on anyway?" I asked. _

"… _I honestly do not know. I kind of slept near the middle of the lecture," Itachi answered back. ITACHI? __**SLEEPING? **__IT'S THE APOCALYPSE!_

_Anyways, we were the last two in the room, alongside a man with a jounin vest._

_His silver- blue hair was tied back with a bandanna, with his hitai- ate strapped on top of that._

_"well, hello you two. My name is Asonfa Keigo. I'll be you're instructor until you wear this vest. Pleasure to meet you two. Now please introduce yourselves."_

_"My name is Haruno Sayuri. I'm ten years old, but I take care of my sister, Sakura, since our clan threw us out. I want to heal."_

_"What do you mean, 'heal'?" her new instructor asked._

_"I want to heal the hurt, and to heal others in any way I can," I answered._

_"I'm Uchiha Itachi, and I'm ten, too. I'm known as 'The Pride of the Uchiha Clan' but I despise the title and popularity. I want to keep the village safe, and earn the Mangekyou Sharingan."_

_"Getting the Mangekyou Sharingan? That sounds like a challenge for someone like you," snided Keigo._

_"I oversome challenges easily. To prove it, you'd be the first person to see them when I do," replied Itachi with a playful tone under his dead panned voice._

_I giggled, thinking it was a joke._

_-_

My sister wasn't there for me when I became a genin.

Heck, she wasn't even there for a big chunk of my life.

The Hokage himself told me that Sayuri is a dead nin…

… who was killed by her own teammate.

I hate him so much.

-

When I was at the Academy, I used to see plaques on the walls of some classrooms- probably the ones Sayuri used to sit in. One of them read:

**THE HOKAGE RECOGNIZES HARUNO SAYURI**

**FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT**

**AND DEDICATION TO THE VILLAGE HIDDEN IN THE LEAVES**

On Iruka- Sensei's wall, there were pictures of each graduating class since the time cameras were made available. Cameras are still rare here; only the photographer of the ninja bingo book has one in the entire village.

I saw my sister's. As I described before, she and everyone else in her class, save one, were smiling.

I also spotted another picture. It was of Sayuri, Itachi, and what I'm guessing was their jounin instructor, with speckle blue hair in a bandanna, kind of like Asuma- Sensei's.

**_Team Keigo_**

Next to that picture, was a newspaper clipping from **The Konoha Times**, a newspaper company that went out of business just a few years ago due to bankruptcy. The article used the exact same picture in black and white, and another one of Keigo with his eyes scrunched together and sweat gleaming all over his face and body, making the hospital gown stick to him. He seemed to be sleeping in a hospital bed, with Sayuri sitting down next to his bed, holding his hand.

**THREE MONTH ANNIVERSARY OF ANBU IN COMA**

_A young woman keeps a constant vigil on her teacher who has been in a coma for three months. __Asonfa Keigo, a retired ANBU and jounin instructor, is being hospitalized for something incurable. He is stable, but stuck in a coma since his arrival at the emergency room._

_That night, eye- witnesses claim to have heard heated altercations between him and his student Uchiha Itachi. He was found the next morning by his other pupil, Haruno Sayuri, in his apartment, unconscious and shivering on the floor._

_Aside from the occasional shrieks he utters and the violent shivers, Asonfa made no progress from his coma. Even though he was being treated with the best medics in the Fire Country, even Tsunade claims that his state can't be lifted unless the perpetrator himself takes Asonfa out of this state._

_"Since nobody has stepped up to the plate and lifted it, there is a very small chance he will wake up," claimed Tsunade._

_"This man was the closest thing I had as a father. I don't want to lose such a precious man in my life," says Sayuri, "Whoever has done this to him, please come and take him out of such a horrifying experience."_

_The symptoms Asonfa has came from one thing that hasn't happened since the time of the First Hokage: Tsukiyomi._

_This man has been hit by the Mangekyou Sharingan. The Uchiha Clan is being held for questioning._

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_I made you guys wait just for **THAT**? _

_I know, I suck at updating._

_Expect more, though, because this and my fictionpress story are my **priorities** during the summer!_

_Oh yeah, the **(1)**from the last chapter is based on Shika's nickname used in the **Eccentric Files**by **Ren and Missa**. It's HILARIOUS!!_

_- Sakura-Hime_


	4. Of Stalking Skills and Parental Advisory

I don't have a lot of fond memories of my parents. I'm sure Sayuri did; however, she rarely talked about the man and woman I should call "Mommy and Daddy." What could be so wrong between my sister and my parents? The only way I know they're still alive are the occasional letters and birthday cards. I only have one picture of my mother, none of my dad. I've never met them in person.

-

_Sayuri and Sakura were in their apartment. Even though the eldest was only twelve, they were able to live by themselves and pay the rent via Sayuri's missions and Sakura's "job" at the Uchiha district._

_It was kind of weird for her to be the only one in there without black hair and coal black eyes, but with the support of her older sister, her hard work, and her curiosity and intellect, she eventually gained respect of the clansmen. She was only seven, she got little tasks and time to play. _

_With that free time in the Uchiha district, she also liked to "follow" her fellow classmate, Uchiha Sasuke; she's such a sneaky girl. _

_Riiight. Sasuke easily felt her presence…_

_-_

… _but he never told her off or looked behind him._

_Today was Sakura's day off, and one of Sayuri's rare mission- free days. The mid-morning sun was still up high in the deep blue sky. Sayuri was lazily lounging on the enlarged window sill looking at the gray streets filling up with people. One leg was tucked under her, while the other leg dangled, making patterns in the air. Her arms were sprawled next to her wait, and her usually stiff body was relaxed, like she didn't want her day off to end._

"_Sayuri-Chan, can I tell you something?" asked a seven year old Sakura._

"_Yes Sis?" Sayuri answered back. She made a mental note on how Sakura's eyes were sparkling with wonder and curiosity._

"_I met mommy today."_

_Sayuri's heart skipped a beat, and then started beating like she was running a race. Her whole body stiffened, even her foot froze in mid air._

"_How would you know?" Sayuri asked, "It could have been any lady or your imagination."_

"_But it was that lady in the picture you showed me. Green eyes, dark pink hair, her smile when she saw me- it was exactly the same as the picture."_

"_How did you even see her? How come I didn't see her?" Sayuri was a little frantic._

"_You always let me go home from the academy by myself now, remember?" Sakura stated, a little shaken by her sister's reaction to the news._

_Sayuri, though it was barely noticeable to Sakura's eyes, breathed heavily, worrying if she saw their father- _

_Of course not…_

"_Nee, Sayuri-Chan, do you love our mommy and daddy?"_

"_Of course, I do, Sakura. Oh, if I can only see them again… I want to talk to Mom again."_

_Sayuri stared back to the panorama outside. She pressed her forehead to the cool glass. She soon relaxed and her original position returned._

_There were many people walking by their apartment, not bothering to look up and wave hi. They were busy doing their daily rounds in the crisp air and golden leaves._

_However, one passer- by, a young man all in black, stopped in front of their apartment and faced it. His ponytail swayed in the light breeze. Sayuri saw him look up to the window she was at; his onyx eyes bore into her emerald ones. _

_It was Itachi. Sayuri couldn't help but smile at him. He nodded at her direction._

_He smirked when their eyes' connection wasn't broken after a few seconds. _

_His smirk grew when he saw her face flush and turn away._

_Sakura was as oblivious as a sleeping baby at the whole incident._

-

Then there was the time I met my mother. It was after Sayuri's funeral, when the social officers brought me back to her. It _was_that lady I met in the market place. She had dark circles under her viridian eyes the day of the funeral and the days that came after. She had a few gray hairs in scattered in her magenta hair, but I still think she's beautiful.

We hugged most of the time after the funeral. I couldn't really call it a funeral, though; because there wasn't a body found, but with possible signs of a murder, the ceremony was more of a memorial than a funeral.

Mom and I got to know each other more. She showed me a picture of her and Dad when they were sixteen. They were teenage sweethearts, and had to be married in secret because her parents wouldn't approve of one of the geniuses of Konoha. They only thought of him as the orphaned freak, not the smartest ninja of his generation.

He has only returned in secret on a few occasions. It was under the average of once a year.

"If you weren't my daughter I would have died once Sayuri died. I'm happy to have a purpose in life- you," Mom said.

She started sobbing again, and all I could do was to cradle her head on my lap and embrace her, trying to comfort her.

-

Mom is really supportive of my shinobi career. You should've seen the tears coming down her eyes and the pearly white smile she had on during my graduation on becoming a genin. She'd given me one of the most bone-crushing hugs I've ever had.

You should have seen her face when I announced to her that I was going to be trained by the Gondaime, Tsunade, herself. Her eyes bulged so big and her jaw fell to the floor, she looked like a petrified fish. Then, once she got out of her shock, she embraced me again. This time it almost fractured my spine, but she didn't let the bones crack.

I got the strength from my mom; however, I didn't inherit her self control.

-

-

-

Now that I think about it, Team 7's boys were parent-less.

Naruto Uzumaki. He was orphaned since birth, and was taken care of by Iruka- sensei. There are rumors flying around that he's the son of the Yondaime Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki. The Yondaime's looks with Kushina's personality?!? What a dangerous combination! I feel sorry for Hinata…

Kakashi- sensei, son of the White Fang, received his morale and skill from his dad….

And, possibly, his perverted thoughts…

Sasuke Uchiha, I feel sad for him. Even though I don't want to, I _pity_him more than Naruto. It's hard to imagine your, whole, entire family being slaughtered, and having it replayed…

Over…

And over…

And _OVER_…

Please don't hate me.

**R**eally, guys, please don't. I know I'm taking forever to update, even though I've been reading fan fiction almost every day! This isn't fair for you, guys.

**S**orry.

**V**ery, truly sorry. I'm mentally hitting myself. I'm also thanking the latest reviewer. That person was anonymous, but if lilykohfong is reading this, I thank you. *Gives cookies*

**P**lease review! If I don't receive five reviews soon, I'll burst! First three gets a slice of pie of their choice!

~Sakura-Hime~


	5. The Best Sleep I Ever Had

"Get ready to get your ass kicked Uchiha," snarled a fourteen-year-old rosette.

"Such foul words shouldn't come out of a pretty girl's mouth," replied a fourteen-year-old raven-haired boy.

The young lady he was talking to growled. Her hair, which was in a ponytail, whooshed up as she quickly went to her attacking position. Her teammate stood rigid, but never put his hands up to start. She quickly leaped up into the treetops and rained kunai on her opponent's back.

He turned around and grabbed them all by the handle before they were even close to touching him. His eyes were red and the black tomoes were spinning. He threw them back to the rosette, who merely jumped off her tree and dodged them all. She landed in front of the Uchiha, and they started using taijutsu.

_~Oh look! There's red staining the pink petals! ~_

It got dark too soon and the two ninjas had to call it a tie. They sadly stopped the fight and lied down on the soft grass to catch the grass.

After a few minutes of rest, Sayuri sat up and examined herself. She then concentrated her chakra to her hands, and she let the green chakra heal all the wounds on her body.

She wasn't bothered a bit that Itachi was staring at her the whole time. When she was done, Itachi couldn't see a trace of any injury on her pale skin. Sayuri looked up to Itachi, who was still lying on his back, trying to find any cuts on his body.

"Kuso. I didn't leave a mark on you!" the rosette hissed.

"On the contrary, dear Sayuri, you should look closer," the onyx eyed man replied.

Sayuri leaned over to examine her teammate closer. Finding a gash on his torso, she poured chakra into the wound and healed his waist. When she was done, she looked elsewhere for another injury, and she located multiple tears on his arms a deep gash on his left leg. She'd healed them easily.

_~ Of course. I can never fatally hurt the one I love. ~_

Sayuri could feel Itachi's eyes on her while she was healing him. When she was done, she looked up and returned his gaze. Itachi was now sitting up with his legs crossed. Sayuri was kneeling in front of him. The following silence was deafening.

"What's wrong, Itachi?" she finally asked.

"Nothing, nothing…"

"Really, Itachi. I know you better than that; it's been three years since we became teammates. What's up?" she tried again.

Silence engulfed the two again.

"I'm just thinking back, and admiring you. You looked beautiful by the window," Itachi finally muttered.

Sayuri gasped. Itachi looked up to Sayuri's emerald eyes. He could see her face start to redden at the comment.

His hand lightly curled around Sayuri's chin. He then slowly pulled her face closer to his, and soon their noses and foreheads met. Both of their eyes closed, and their lips touched.

_~ And they lived happily ever after!_

_You wish! ~_

It was another beautiful morning in the land of Konoha- if only there was a certain thirteen year old who would appreciate it!

That's right; Sayuri is still in bed, trying to get some sleep. She tossed and turned the whole night, replaying what happened last night like a broken record. One that plays the same thing

Over

And _over_

And _**OVER**_ again.

Don't worry. Seeing as they're only in their early teens, they both felt that it was too early to take their relationship seriously.

_He stood up, and offered his hand to his teammate. She took it, and he helped her up, because the kiss they shared pretty much shut her brain down. She really needed all the support she can receive. Once they were both standing, they just looked at each other's eyes. Who knew onyx can compliment emerald? _

_Their conjoined limbs looked like one continuous arm. Sayuri's pale arm looked whiter in the moonlight, and when that arm met Itachi's slightly tan one, that proved to be the only distinction. If one was looking far enough, he or she wouldn't know where one started or where one ended._

_They basked in the noises of the crickets and the soft wind making the leaves rustle. The only movements the two made for a while was the relaxing and tightening of their conjoined hands… _

"_Itachi-kun," Sayuri started to ask._

"_Hn," was his reply._

"_What are we now?"_

Nee-Chan! Nee-Chan! Wake up! Someone sent you flowers this morning!"

Sakura was screaming like a banshee and shaking her sister violently to get her to wake up and smell the lilies. Sayuri finally rose out of bed, leaving the idea of sleep behind, and shuffled to the front door.

She found a mix of blue and purple lilies, white carnations, and red roses in an open picnic basket. Sayuri picked up the basket and stared at the flowers. She wouldn't dare touch the flowers themselves, fearing the petals would break off.

On the side of the basket, the thirteen year old found a white card. She read the intricate script written in black ink.

'You are beautiful when you sleep…

_and in every waking moment of the day._

_- Itachi'_

Sayuri didn't want to believe that a stoic person such as Itachi would send her flowers-

So she didn't. 'It's probably just a hoax, anyway. Some stupid fan girl is trying to get my hopes up. It's not from him anyways.'

She has never talked about the flowers to Itachi. Or the kiss. Or what would happen to them (after last night anyways).

'_Who am I to you, Itachi? What are we?'_

_**~Years later~**_

It's there again. She felt its presence again tonight. She stiffened at the thought of someone watching her sleep…

In a nightgown some days…

In a tee shirt and sweats others

She clutched the red satin sheets closer to her, wondering why people are so… _sick… for_ the lack of a better word.

Tonight, however, she felt the chakra closer than before. When she means "close," she means "right next to her bed" close. The rosette slowly rolled over, back facing whoever was present to grab her kunai from under the pillow, and turned back around to face…

Uchiha. That damn Uchiha in his black robes adorned with red clouds. His infamous smirk was plastered on his ever pale face. The girl's emerald eyes widened, with her mouth agape.

In his late teens, he was painstakingly handsome. The last time she'd seen him was a few years back, donned in his white robe held together by purple rope.

Thoughts raced in her head:

_What is he doing here? He'd be put to jail or worse if he's found! Why was he watching me? Where are that red head prostitute and the other two? What the hell is he doing here?_

She sat up, using the blanket to cover due to her current state of dress- a sleeveless navy nightgown that barely covered her womanly assets.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Such foul words shouldn't come out of a beautiful woman's mouth."

"You haven't answered my question, Uchiha."

"Well I can't answer it. That information is classified."

"Classified my ass."

"Now, now, what did I say about bad-mouthing?"

The rosette took a long sigh to resist the urge to rip his thin, pale, _kissable_ lips. _I'll show YOU BAD-MOUTHING!!!_

"Seriously, Uchiha. What are you doing here? It better be important because I've lost ninety six hours of sleep from feeling your presence! Four full freaking day's worth of no sleep! And it's all because of you somehow watching me sleep every single night! And when I try to find the source, aka YOU, you disappear for a while and come back! Jesus. Don't you have anything else to say?"

"Hn."

"Well then, say it before my frustration makes me rip your balls."

"You passed."

At those two words, Sakura raised a delicate rose eyebrow, "Passed what?"

"My expectations of you. Not only have you raised way passed genin, but you also became ANBU and the Hokage's apprentice. I also thought you would be _thrilled_ to have me by your bed."

"Ew. First off, I'm not that twelve year old girl you left on that bench that night. And second, why are you at my house every single freaking night?"

"Now that information, my dear, is classified."

"Classified my ass."

"Now, now, dear Sakura. I think I already told you about pretty ladies speaking such foul words."

Sakura guffawed, "Since when did you care?"

And to that, Sakura received no answer.

So she went to sleep again, fully unsatisfied because she was out of the loop. She didn't care if Sasuke was watching her '_It's like sleeping under the stars with Team 7 again…'_

As usual, Sasuke was in here again. It has been a month since he's been coming here, disrupting my slumber, but I've gotten used to it. We've been talking a lot lately. How we've been. What we have been doing (though he wouldn't tell me about his missions). The people around us.

Oh my gosh, if I had some authority over Sasuke, I'd get him away from those people! Especially that red head girl who's been hanging around him lately. One night he told me about her failed attempts to get him… like _that_. I couldn't rest easy that night; he didn't tell me about the times she succeeded.

It's 2 am, and we're still talking. As in talking like civilized people, as friends. He even spoke more than five words tonight. What an accomplishment.

"Uchiha-san-"

"Sakura-"

We quieted down. He let me go first.

"When are you going back to Sound?"

He sighed. The silence that followed was deafening.

Soon after, he started to tell me.

"In the morning."

I was going to ask him some more questions about his stay, but he yawned.

"Sasuke-kun, you should sleep."

"It's way past your bedtime, too," he replied.

"I would have offered you the couch, but because all the other blankets are in the wash, I'll give you my bed."

"No, it's fine. It looks like…"

I snapped my head up again, eyes wide awake. "HUH, can you say that again?"

"You need it more than I do," he answered, after chuckling at my efforts to stay awake.

After sighing, I said, "What if we both have the bed? It's pretty cold tonight."

He agreed. We both lied down on the soft mattress. I offered him more space in the bed, since he was so close to the edge. I faced my back to him because I was blushing. He pressed himself (intimately) to me, and then he placed the covers over us.

"Sasuke?"

"Hn." _Yes?_

"Please don't go tonight. Stay with me, please. I don't want to be alone later. Promise me you'll stay?"

He wrapped his arms around my waist. The blush I was fighting came back again, even redder than before.

"I promise." And I had the best sleep I've had in years.

I woke up at 6. As soon as my eyes opened, I felt a slight pressure on my lips that lasted for less than a second. I sat straight up after that.

"Sasuke!" He was gone.

The space next to me was still warm. I can still smell his comforting scent in the sheets. Also on the dent that proved a body was there was a small piece of parchment. After reading the message, I smiled.

"_You're beautiful when you sleep…._

_and in every waking moment of the day._

_- Sasuke._

_Ps: I'll see you soon."_

* * *

**I don't know how many apologies I will have to say before I'm forgiven by you readers. Thank you readers for reading! I hope you'll leave a review to either scold me on my awful timing, thank me for FINALLY updating, criticize my piece of work (I'm tougher now, I can handle actual criticism), or to just say hi. .**

**THANK YOU REVIEWERS, FAVORITERS, ALERTERS, AND READERS FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN! **

**Please review, and I'll give you a virtual desert, as always! I need at least 5 to update!!!**

**Once again, thank you guys for sticking!**

**:D Sakura- Hime**


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